MINSK, 5 November (BelTA) – The state border with Belarus should remain open to ensure normal life of people, Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Juozas Olekas said, Lithuanian media report.
The speaker pointed out that the closure of the border prevents people from living a normal life.
“We still want life to go on and the borders to reopen someday,” Juozas Olekas said. He stressed that this is important for Lithuanian citizens to travel freely and for Lithuanian carriers to reach their destinations, as cargo from across Central Asia transits through the Belarusian border.
Earlier, the Lithuanian newspaper Kauno diena reported that Lithuania could disappear from Europe’s logistics and trade map due to the situation with the closure of the border with Belarus.
Meanwhile, the Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association Linava stated that at least 35,000 Lithuanian residents will be affected by the border closure, noting that the situation threatens many jobs and the stability of the transport sector. According to the association, about 2,000 Lithuanian trucks, 3,000 semi-trailers, and several thousand drivers are currently stuck in Belarus and at the border. They believe the only solution to the problem is to reopen the border with Belarus.
For now, the border checkpoint Salcininkai (Benyakoni on the Belarusian side) has completely ceased operations, while the Medininkai (Kamenny Log) crossing is functioning in a limited capacity. Only diplomats, persons with simplified transit documents, Lithuanian citizens and their families returning home, citizens of EU and their family members, foreigners with Lithuanian residence permits or humanitarian visas are allowed to cross the border.
The speaker pointed out that the closure of the border prevents people from living a normal life.
“We still want life to go on and the borders to reopen someday,” Juozas Olekas said. He stressed that this is important for Lithuanian citizens to travel freely and for Lithuanian carriers to reach their destinations, as cargo from across Central Asia transits through the Belarusian border.
Earlier, the Lithuanian newspaper Kauno diena reported that Lithuania could disappear from Europe’s logistics and trade map due to the situation with the closure of the border with Belarus.
Meanwhile, the Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association Linava stated that at least 35,000 Lithuanian residents will be affected by the border closure, noting that the situation threatens many jobs and the stability of the transport sector. According to the association, about 2,000 Lithuanian trucks, 3,000 semi-trailers, and several thousand drivers are currently stuck in Belarus and at the border. They believe the only solution to the problem is to reopen the border with Belarus.
For now, the border checkpoint Salcininkai (Benyakoni on the Belarusian side) has completely ceased operations, while the Medininkai (Kamenny Log) crossing is functioning in a limited capacity. Only diplomats, persons with simplified transit documents, Lithuanian citizens and their families returning home, citizens of EU and their family members, foreigners with Lithuanian residence permits or humanitarian visas are allowed to cross the border.
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